Automatic wind-regulator for separating-machines.



. T. W. MGBRIDE- AUTOMATIG WIND REGULATOR FOR SEPARATING MACHINES.

. APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1908. 929,157.

Patented July 27, 1909.

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T. W. MoBRIDE. 7 AUTOMATIC WIND REGULATOR FOR SEPARATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1908.

Patented July 27; 1909.

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v T. W. MQBRIDB.

AUTOMATIC WIND REGULATOR FOR SEPARATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18. 1908.

929,1 7, Patented July 27, 1909.

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ATENT FFIQE.

THOMAS W. MCBRIDE, OF GLEN EWEN, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC WIND-REGULATOR FOR SEPARATING-MAC'HINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. MCBRIDE, of the village of Glen Ewen, in the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Wind-Regulators for Separating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a wind regulator for separating machines and the object of the invention is to provide a device by which the air directed to the fanning-mill of agrain separator can be automatically regulated ac cording to the supply of straw fed over the racks.

It consists essentially in a set of pivotally suspended fingers. placed above one of the racks over which the straw feeds, and means interconnecting each set of fingers with the fanningmill gates, whereby the gates are operated by the movement of the fingers, the parts being arranged and constructed as hereinafter more particularly described.

Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a separating machine showing the fanningniill and one of its gates and also the interconnection between the gate and the fingers. Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through the center of the separator, showing the straw racks in posi tion and the fingers above one of the racks. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the fingers and their supporting rods, the separating machine being shown in end elevation with the usual forward members, including the band cutters, the teeth, the cylinder and the beater, removed.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

It is usual in machines of this class to regulate the fannin -mill gates by hand, the adjustment in nearly all cases being made only occasionally when it is found that considerable grain is being carried with the straw through the straw chute of the wind stacking attachment to the machine. However, before an adjustment is made there is often times considerable loss of grain in this way, and in order to overcome this objection I have devised the herein described automatic means for regulating the supply of air which is allowed to enter the fanning-mill.

1 represents the usual body of a separating Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 18, 1908.

Patented July 27,1909.

Serial No. 453,628.

machine, of which 2 are the upper cross members and 3 the face boards.

A represents the shakers or usual racks over which the straw is passed and they are supported within the body of the machine in any desirable manner.

5 represents the fanning-mill which is directly beneath the body of the machine, and 6 is the fan operating on a central cross shaft 7, supported within suitable bearings formed at. the ends of the fanning-mill. The fan is adapted to direct acurrent of air to the sieves of the machine as is usual, whereby the grain falling on the sieves is cleared of chaff and straw.

8 represents an end inclosing member to the fanning-mill, and 9 and 9. represent the gates, by theadjustment of which a varying quantity of air can be admitted to the fan. The gates are each provided with a pin 10, which passes into the frame work of the mill.

11 is a rotatable cross shaft mounted at its ends within suitable bearings, formed in the bearing plates 12 and 13, carried by the sides of the separating machine. The shaft passes directly across the machine above the shaker Ll. lis a second rotatable shaft directly above the shaft 11 and it is also carried with its end journaled in suitable bearings formed in the bearing plates 12 and 13.

15 is a cross bar located near the shafts and securely fastened to the sides of the separator. I

16 is a bearing formed centrally on the bar 15 and extending downwardly from the bar.

l7 and 18 are similar rotatable shafts having their adjoining ends carried in the bearings 16 and their extending ends mounted in journals formed in the bearing plates 12v and 13.

19 and 20 are sets of curved fingers securely fastened to the shafts 17 and 18, respectively. The lower ends of the fingers pass directly above the upper end of one of the shakers 4, as is best shown in Fig. 2.

21 is the gear wheel firmly secured to the shaft 11 at its one end, such gear wheel being outside of the bearing 12. At the op posite end of the shaft from the gear wheel is an arm 22 which is connected through a link or rod 23 with a tube 23, the rod telescoping within the tube. 2 i

23 is a thumb screw carried by the tube for the purpose of adjusting the rod in the tube. The lower end of the tube is connected to a strap 24 carried on the gate 9.

25'is a gear wheel at the end of the shaft let, to the opposite side'of the separator to that on which appears the gear wheel 21.

26 is an arm firmly secured to the shaft 14 to the opposite end to that on which the gear 25 appears, and the arm is connected by a link or rod 27 with the tube 27 there being a thumb screw 27 carried by the tube whereby the portions are rendered adjustable. he lower end of the tube is secured toa strap 28 extending from the gate 9.

29 is a gear wheel at the extending end of the shaft 18, such gear being adapted to mesh with the gear 21.

30. is a gear wheel at the extending end of the shaft 17, such gear wheel being designed to mesh with the gear 25.

31 are openings provided in the arms whereby the links 23. and 27 may be adjusted.

82 and 83. are similar arms firmly secured to the shafts l7 and 18, respectively, toward their outer ends and within the body of the separating machine. The arms normally incline downwardly and are provided each with a longitudinally extending slot 345, the slotted end of the arm appearing directly opposite the openings 35 provided in the sides of the separator frame.

36 are threaded rods or shafts secured within the openings and provided with adjustable nuts 37 which can be screwed to any position on the shaft.

38 are sleeves slidably movable on. the shafts, such sleeves being connected by pins 39 to the arms 32, respectively, the pins being designed to operate within the slots.

It will be seen that the distance which the ends of the fingers are above the rack can be controlled by adjusting the nuts 87 which slide the sleeves on the shafts and carry the arms 32 and 33 with them by virtue of the pins. If an adjustment be made in this way it is also necessary to adjust the thinnb screws 23 and 27 so that the gates may close. It is possible also by these latter adjustments to control the distance'which the gates are opened when the fingers are on the racks, as will readily be seen.

Referring now to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the arm shown in dotted outline is in a horizontal position and that the gate to which the arm is connected is closed. Also it will be noticed that the corresponding position of the fingers is just above or resting on the upper end of one of the racks 4. hen a separator is being equipped with these attachments it is necessary, for its best operation, that the latter parts assume the relative position just described.

When a separator supplied with my invention is in use it will be found that the air admitted to the fanningmill is regulated directly, according to the amount of straw which is passing over theracks. If there be a heavier feed of straw' over the racks at one time than at another there will be a greater depth of straw on the racks and consequently the fingers will be raised farther from the racks. Raising the fingers lowers the arms through the gears and'tho gates are opened, the amount of opening depending directly upon the height to which the fingers are above the rack.

I have found that there is a cross blast common to a great number of separator fanning-mills, which means that the arm entering the mill at one side is directed to the opposite side of the mill and passesto the sieves at the opposite side of the machine to that atwhich it enters. For this reason 1 have placed a set of fingers on each of the shafts 17 and 18, and have the set 19 controlling the operation of the gate 9, while the set 20. controls the gate 9.. If it happens that there. is more straw passing over the rack at one side of the machine than at the other then the fingers at that side will be raised higher than at the other, and the gate at the opposite side of the machine to that of the former fingers will be opened. It will thus be seen I have made absolute provision for the cross blast above referred to, and it does-not matter how the straw is passing over the racks as the air admitted to the fan at the respective sides is directly proportional to the amount of straw passing over.

Although I have described the invention in connection with those separating machines in which the cross blast is common, yet it will be understood that in machines where the cross blast is done away with and passes evenly over the sieves at the side of the machine at.which it enters, it will only be necessary to. change the position of the gear wheels so as to cause the set of fingers 2O tov control the operation of the gate 9, and the set of fingers 19 to control the gate 9. This could be accomplished by placing the gear 21 on the shaft 14: and in mesh with the gear 29; and the gear 25 on the shaft 11 and in mesh with the gear 30.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine of the class described the combination with a fanning-mill wind boards therefor, straw racks, of means suspended above the racks and connected with the wind boards, whereby the wind boards are regulated by the quantity of straw passing over the'racks, as and for the purpose specified;

2. In a machine of the class described the combination with a fanning-mill wind boardstherefor, straw racks, fingers pivotally suspended above the racks, and means connecting said fingers with the wind boards whereby the wind boards are opened and closed by the raising and lowering of the fingers, as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a machine of the class described the combination with a fanning-mill windboards therefor, straw racks, of a set of r0.- tatably mounted cross shafts passing across the body of the separating machine; a set of fingers extending from each of the shafts downwardly toward the grain racks, and means interconnecting the shafts with the wind boards, whereby the movement of the fingers controls the operation of the boards, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a machine of the class described the combination with a fanningmill wind boards therefor, straw racks, of a set of rotatably mounted cross shafts passing across the body of the separating machine; a set of fingers extending from each of the shafts downwardly toward the grain racks; and independent means operated by each shaft whereby each set of fingers controls the movement of a board, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a machine of the class described the combination with a fanningmill wind boards therefor, straw racks, of a set of rotatably mounted cross shafts passing across the body of the separating machine; a set of fingers extending from each of the shafts downwardly toward the grain racks; and" independent means operated by each shaft whereby the sets of fingers control respectively, each a wind board, such wind board being to the opposite side of the machine to that in which the actuating fingers appear, as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a machine of the class described the combination with a fanning-mill having wind boards, one at either side and the grain racks, of a set of independently mounted and rotatable shafts passing across the separating machine above the racks; a set of fingers extending downwardly from each shaft toward the racks; a gear wheel at the outer end of each shaft; a set of cross shafts rotatably mounted within suitable bearings in the side walls of the separating machine; an arm secured to each shaft and at their opposite ends, such arms being adjustably interconnected with the adjoining boards, and a gear wheel at the free end of each of the latter shafts in mesh with the gear wheel on the former shafts, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a machine of the class described the combination with the arms, and the wind boards, of a rod pivotally interconnected with each of the arms, and a tube pivotally interconnected with each of the boards, the rod and the tube telescoping, and a thumb screw carried by the tubes and adapted to engage with the rods whereby the parts may be adjusted, as and for the purpose specified.

Signed at Oxbow, in the Province of Saskatchewan, this 29th day of June, 1908.

THOMAS IV. MCBRIDE.

WVitnesses:

S. R. WALLACE, JAMES D. MURPHY. 

